3D printing is alive and kicking, and is a fantastic tool for the hacker/maker to have in his workshop. I use my cheap basic FDM printer (DaVinci 1.0) on a regu

3D printing is alive and kicking, and is a fantastic tool for the hacker/maker to have in his workshop. I use my cheap basic FDM printer (DaVinci 1.0) on a regular basis to make all sorts of things for my hobbies and business. The manufacturing capabilities it has given me has absolutely revolutionized the way I think. I think back to before I purchased one, and I was so skeptical about whether it could produce any value at all. I assumed everything it would produce would be too weak to be of any value, and that the limitations of FDM would make parts too difficult to design. Well I was completely wrong and I only wish I had started down this path sooner. I think my fantastic experiences with 3D printers is in part because I'm an experienced maker and a competent 3d modeller. I can knock up a prototype (like the Lipo balance charger circutry cradle I just finished) in an hour and have it on my desk in another half a dozen. Once I'm happy with that I can have another half a dozen ready for when I wake up in the morning. Best of all it's just a tool. I never wanted a 3D printing hobby, and I haven't had to take one on. I put filament, power and my STLs in, and parts come out. I've had to repair the wiring loom on one stepper motor as it's a basic unit with no cable chains, but other than that it has been operated like a hammer or a soldering iron, on when I need it, off and on a shelf when I don't.